TODAY: The signing has been officially announced. It’s a $40.6MM deal that includes a $600K signing bonus, Tim Healey of Newsday tweets.
DECEMBER 12, 12:48pm: The deal is done pending McCann’s physical, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). An official announcement from the Mets is expected to come today.
11:21am: The Mets and James McCann are in the “final stages” of completing a four-year deal that will pay McCann around $40MM, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). According to ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan, the deal is worth “just a touch over” the $40MM threshold and there is a signing bonus involved. The contract will be official once McCann passes a physical. McCann is represented by the Ballengee Group.
After reports surfaced earlier this week that McCann and the Mets were on the verge of a deal, it seemingly took a few days more to reach an agreement. While McCann was the second-best catcher on the free agent market after J.T. Realmuto, a four-year deal worth north of $40MM is more than double the two-year/$20MM pact that MLB Trade Rumors projected for McCann, making it a very nice score for the 30-year-old.
McCann produced fairly unremarkable numbers as the Tigers’ regular catcher from 2015-18, and was non-tendered following a rough 2018 season. McCann then joined the White Sox and rather surprisingly broke out, hitting .276/.334/.474 with 25 homers over 587 plate appearances since the start of the 2019 season. McCann greatly improved both his amount of hard contact and the quality of that hard contact, though he did get some good fortune in 2020 — a .339 BABIP and a .372 wOBA that far outpaced his .329 xwOBA. (McCann also had a .359 BABIP in 2019.)
McCann’s defense also took a step up, as recently outlined by MLBTR’s Steve Adams…
Behind the plate, McCann has long been adept at controlling the running game. Even with the Tigers, he nabbed 37 percent of those who attempted to take a base against him. One knock on McCann, however, was on his receiving ability — or lack thereof. McCann ranked well below average in terms of framing metrics for much of his time with the Tigers and even early in his White Sox tenure — a flaw that likely influenced the White Sox’ decision to sign Yasmani Grandal to a four-year pact last winter.
Recognizing that shortcoming, McCann spent the bulk of his (2019-20) offseason working with catching guru Jerry Narron to improve his receiving and framing. The results paid off, as Statcast ranked McCann as much-improved in that regard, particularly with pitches at the bottom of the strike zone, which was where he’d struggled most. McCann went from garnering strike calls on just 44.1 percent of pitches at or slightly below the bottom of the zone to an excellent 61.8 percent. One can suggest that there’s some small-sample smoke and mirrors at play, but McCann’s improvement was pronounced enough that it can’t be entirely dismissed as small-sample noise. It would seem that the Mets agree.
A four-year contract for a 30-year-old catcher (McCann turns 31 in June) carries some risk, though making an aggressive play to address a clear roster weakness is the type of boldness Mets fans expected once Steve Cohen bought the team. At least in the short term, the Mets have now strongly upgraded a position that was a major offseason question mark, and it also sets the table for further transactions.
For one, Realmuto is no longer in the picture, meaning that the Mets can now save their biggest spending splurge for another player….or even players. As noted by Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the Mets “stayed in touch with the Realmuto camp” if the McCann talks fell through, but with McCann now signed, a preferred major target like George Springer or Trevor Bauer could potentially be next.
Heard this one before
This time it might be true
For the fourth time
Good news for the Phillies. JT should be back with the team.
That’s a mighty big leap. Still plenty of teams will be in on JT.
I still think the Phillies have a pretty good chance to sign him.
Hope so!
It is true, plenty of teams will be in on JT, but the Mets were the ones that had an owner that was willing to spend.
I don’t know who would be willing to break the bank for him.
I think Molina would provide veteran mentorship at an affordable cost (leaves more money for Bauer).
@Halo11Fan: Your team, no?
Bauer can’t handle a negative Twitter comment, he would fail miserably in NY, his skin is too thin.
Never count the Yankees out.
I agree. The Mets were by far the biggest threat for JT.
Twitter doesn’t exist in California
Get a Clue! Twitter is another California tech company..
He coming to nats. MCCANN JUST STOLE THE METS MONEY LMAO
How is signing the 2nd best catcher in the market for less than 40% of Realmuto a bad deal for Mets. They’re leaving $ room for Springer and Bauer. Remember that the Mets were a better team than the World Series champs that year. Calloway threw away a dozen games in late innings or the Nats miss the playoffs.
Wasn’t Wilson Ramos contract 2 year 20 mil? This is the same money for a guy on an up trend. Except 4 years. Idk why people are hating on the money. Hate the years maybe.
We don’t know what a Realmuto deal looks like yet So you can’t say 40%.
I’m a mets fan and like the McCann signing but 4/40 is a lot. He’s made less than 10m in his career so he wasn’t putting up numbers for arbitration, he also has an OPS+ of 90 over the last 4 years, the last two years it’s like 115. I don’t like the idea of assigning a guy a value because he is the second best at his position in his class. Are we expecting McCann to be better at 34 than 26? People will be duped by Bauer being “the best starter in his class” and pay him an ungodly amount of money because of this same logic.
HUNDREDS of players have been better at 34 than 26.
4/40 is peanuts, and you refuse to believe a hitter can improve? Great analysis….
James McCann has had a 5.0 WAR over his last 149 games.
His ‘up trend’ will evaporate away from the hitters paradise in Chicago. He will be the same hitter he was in Detroit. A bad one. Making 1st string money.
I’m not so sure McCann is only “second best.” He was stellar for the Sox, and I think they will regret keeping Grandal rather than signing McCann to a multi-year deal. I wish him well throughout his stay with the Mets.
I kind of agree, 4/40 is a low risk move. The Mets got better with this addition.
Anyone who thinks this is an overpay, should check in with some Chisox fans. I bet you won’t find too many that wouldn’t rather have McCann at 4 for $40, then the barely average Grandal at (remaining) 4 for $54.
I ‘guaranty’!!!! McCann is pretty decent and a leader.
I was at the second Mets game at the Polo Grounds in ’62..
This is a great move by the Mets especially if they sign Springer and Bauer, et al.
Marty, not catchers and certainly not out of the steroid era.
McCann is a fine player, and I hope the Mets make some early profit. But I don’t think they will make some late profit.
@Dogbone
Surprisingly this is one of your best posts in a while. Except for the “barely average Grandal” part, but still, not a bad post overall. I wouldn’t call Grandal barely average, and I’m fine with Grandal as the Sox C, but I wouldn’t have been opposed if the Sox kept McCann and traded Grandal this Winter.
Actually, to reinforce your argument, Grandal has 3 yr/$54MM remaining. So Grandal will make $8MM/yr than McCann over the next 3 years.
I know you have some quality posts in you, I want to see more of those from you. I can even live with you ripping the Sox if they are quality, well-thought-out posts. You might find I’ll even agree with you on certain things (the Sox are far from a perfectly run franchise, putting it as a major understatement).
@86mets: ‘His ‘up trend’ will evaporate away from the hitters paradise in Chicago.’
Things like OPS+ take park factors into account. And OPS+ says McCann has been well above average the last two seasons.
Grandal is one of the best, if not the best framer in MLB. His skills behind the plate and the ChiSox upswing is no coincidence. Look at the season DK had. I’d say Grandal is worth the dime and wish the Mets had signed him when he was available. His ability to switch hit and not have to come out late in a game for pitcher/batter matchups is another bonus he provides.
As a Sox fan McCaan was really good the last two years. Part of the credit for Giolito goes to McCaan. He handles pitchers really well, throws well and hits a little bit.
@metsgolf Awesome to gear that history. Not a Mets fans, but born and raised in Queens. My dad used to talk about the Polo Grounds.
Marty …. I agree. Usually I don’t think players get better with age but some guys don’t hit their stride til later. Granted David Ortiz didn’t get enough pt early on but he really didn’t take off til 28-30 yrs old. Cruz, as well(up for debate the reason). Lots of players were good early on and became great. I’ll be honest when Cabrera was in Miami I never thought he would have became the hitter he became. Knew he had talent but not triple crown talent, but there he was in the flesh and I had no choice but to respect the heck outta the guy. Never one of
My favorites but he became the greatest hitter in the game for that few year stretch.
Point is ya never know…. I was ripping addell on his small size and I’m sure someday I’ll be hearing about it from angels fans for trolling lol.
Absolutely right, Dogbone.
Better than what?
I would love to see a serious study of pitch framing. The assumption always is that a catcher can fool an umpire by jerking his glove into the strike zone, that the umpire is unaware of the motion, that the umpire is thus duped into calling a ball a strike. I wonder what the evidence is that might support that theory. And I wonder if umpires are aware that all of us who prize pitch framing think they are just a bunch of unobservant suckers.
This is a terrible take. The data clearly shows his hitting improved independent of stadium. Do your research before spouting nonsense.
Apparently you don’t know any CWS. There isn’t a chance we would want McCann at 4/$40. MLB East GMs are laughing and McCann owes the CWS a commission check. This guy did most of his damage against 3-4th starters of DET/KC and PIT last year.
Boxer: if what you say is true, then why was McCann the starting catcher in a majority of their important games last year??
I think they finished tied in 2020 after the NATs swept the Mets to end the season. Technically they were both equally bad teams. Still, the Mets have 4 or 5 studs while the Nats are down to just 3 studs plus Robles and Corbin.
The reason it took so long was because McCann was asking for way too much money, and Alderson wasn’t having it; he’s not stupid. Not by a long stretch.
So they replace Wilson Ramos with James McCann for the same money per year. That is an upgrade in my book. Better at nailing baserunners. A better hitter, albeit only the recent year and a half. Seems motivated to improve himself. Let’s hope he doesn’t get complacent with his bug contract
McCann hit better on the road in 2019. Worse on the road in 2020.
Because the same Old story Bargain basement shopping
They signed the second best catcher on the market. How is that bargain basement shopping? This narrative is soooo dumb.
Hey real, seeing what the White Sox lineup needed I see no regrets on the horizon. They needed a bat with some power from the left side. This young free swinging team also needed a bat that could draw a walk and work a pitcher. And when they signed him McCann couldn’t pitch frame. He learned from Yaz. Grandal was an excellent acquisition and the perfect roster compliment.
There is one word in America that explains everything, “ yaneverknow “.
I agree 100% . Die hard White Sox fan. I would trade 3 years @ 54 million of Grandal for 4 years @ 40 million of McCann in a heartbeat !
A 115 OPS+ for any other position would be nothing to write home about, but it’s great for a catcher. If he maintains that bat for 2 years, and then he’s reduced to a light-hitting backup for the last 2 years of the contract, then he’ll have earned the paycheck.
Did the Phillies suddenly find $100m that they previously didn’t have? Phillies are looking to cut back… not add to payroll. This was clearly expressed by new president Dave Dombrowski.
Don’t be fooled. They’re going to cut back from the $208 million payroll. They had roughly $60 million plus come off the books. I think when is all said and done they’re around $175 million or so. Giving them some wiggle room for sure. I didn’t get the feeling by that press conference that they were going to slash payroll. Honestly, Dombrowski probably doesn’t take the job if he’s under mandate to slash payroll completely
Bad news for the Phillies, Harper will still be there.
Except this time it has a dollar amount attached to it. Why are you so mad?
Still heard this one before?
Good signing for the Mets. Realmuto would’ve been better though. Braves are still better in the division and that’s even after losing Ozuna/Duvall.
Good things the Mets are about to spend more
The Spring is still 3 months away. That discussion needs to wait
Am I missing something? How is James McCann getting paid this much?
Right place right time, only a few teams can realistically sign Realmuto which makes McCann the plan B for everyone because he’s much more affordable.
oh the Mets could sign Realmuto, but that contract will be a disaster!! And the Mets are looking ahead to extending Conforto and Thor in the future
Thor is gonna be a free agent after this season he isn’t signing an extension now
The catching market is weak and he’s got a good agent
James McCann has had a 5.0 WAR over his last 149 games.
Because you don’t know what good baseball looks like, we have to suffer through you whining about players being overpaid? McCann is an ELITE PLAYER you guys asking why he got money are all blind and have no idea what a good player even looks like.
He’s not an elite player by any stretch of the imagination, a good player yes.
Just because there’s a lack of available free agents at a position doesn’t make those players elite. The Mets almost certainly overpaid, but that make it a bad deal either.
Doesn’t*
Elite? Lol
Lmao “McCann is an elite player” you can make a case for this deal (I still think it’s a bad deal) but there is no case that he is an elite player. Come on
When did paying a player $10MM a year even imply elite? It implies that he is solid, and he is.
I think Marty McRae is James McCann’s agent
I’ve been a Chicago baseball fan since the early 1960’s. James McCann was “elite” for the two season he spent with the White Sox when considering his advanced metrics plus his intangibles. As has been pointed out on this thread, McCann posted a 5.0 WAR in his 149 games with the ChiSox. Only HOF catcher Carlton Fisk has produced similar number with a 4.9 WAR in 1990 over 137 games. That season was near the end of Fisk’s career when he caught 116 games with the rest coming as a DH/PH. McCann was better than any other White Sox catcher over that span of games including A.J. Pierzynski and it’s not even close.
If he was or is an elite player? Then why did the sox replace him with Yasmani Grandal? Your statement makes no sense and shows you know absolutely nothing about baseball
@jbc: Sox replaced McCann because Reinsdorf has no idea what he’s doing.
McCann had one good year. That’s not much to go on.
True
You realize, value wise, McCann putting up 5 WAR in the next 4 years still pays for a 10M AAV contract right? A win on the free agent market is worth at least 9M a year. That figure is 2 years old and it’s likely higher now
McCann posted 5 WAR in the last 149 games he’s played. For what realmuto is going to get, this is a very good value buy for NY
Now that assumes they use the money saved for a Springer/Bauer/add trade name here-type addition, but no reason to assume Cohen suddenly pulls the purse strings tight
Are you thinking he’s overpaid or underpaid?
I’m thinking the amount is fair for both sides. Word is that Realmuto is seeking as much as $200 million. He probably won’t get that , but I can see him getting $150 million for 5 years from somebody but all things considered that’s a crazy amount to pay for him. Don’t get me wrong, the guys the best catcher in baseball right now, but that’s just too much . Whoever signs him for that will regret that deal in two years.
$150M!! Did you forget to take your meds again, he’ll be lucky to get half of that. The words out on ole JT
Did you see the nutjobs commentors here who were predicting 4/60 or even 4/70? At least the AAV of $10M is in line with the MLBTR prediction of 2/$20M. The 4 years were a bit of a surprise, but I don’t think its outrageous.
This much? This is way less than people were predicting. Some commenters here had him getting $15 million per season.
Exactly, people on here are crazy sometimes w their predictions
James McCann has had a 5.0 WAR over his last 149 games, this is a massive underpay, McCann deserves $20M a year because he has 5.0 WAR over his last 149 games, which is elite level.
Marty I don’t think you know what the term elite means. Over Mike Trouts last 149 games he has a WAR just around 9. THATS elite level. McCann didn’t start hitting until he got to a hitters park in Chicago, and now he’s going to a pitchers park in New York. You can say he’s a good player, I’d agree with you. But in NO way is James McCann as elite you’re saying he is.
A slight scarcity at his position can make him borderline elite.
Using the most elite of players doesn’t help with drawing the elite line.
Does Mike Trout strap on the pads? THAT is elite baseball.
CF not too shabby either. Catcher is the end boss.
Anyone top 5-8 at their position has to be at least borderline elite to me. .
Sticking to comparing catchers seems most fair? What does Trout have to do with McCann or any of this?
Top 100 fWAR Catcher seasons, past 5 years:
2016: Posey, Grandal, Lucroy, Ramos, Martin, Molina, Sanchez
2017: Posey, Zunino, Flowers, Realmuto, Sanchez, Grandal, Barnes.
2018: Realmuto, Grandal, Alfaro.
2019: Realmuto, Grandal, Garver, Vazquez.
2020: Perez, Nola, Realmuto, Grandal, d’Arnaud, Contreras, McCann, SMurphy.
More teams need to be in on Realmuto. Unquestionably elite. (7.4 WAR past 2 seasons)
Grandal certainly elite. (6.9 WAR)
That’s not even 3.
The catcher that claims the bronze can be called elite.
With a few borderline options ready to step in if injury hampers one of the top 3.
Sal Perez showed that he still has some elite left (only 2.3 WAR past 2 seasons -counted 2018 since he missed 2019).
More likely bronze candidates:
Nola (3.2), d’Arnaud (3.2), Contreras (4.3), McCann (3.8), SMurphy (2.1), Garver (3.8), Vazquez (4.9).
Super sleepers: Alfaro (1.0), Sanchez (2.2), Flowers (2.5), Zunino (0.3).
Others that have never been top 100 fWAR more likely than that super sleeper list?
Contreras, SMurphy, McCann, Vazquez would follow Realmuto and Grandal for me.
That’s top 6, top 10% of the league’s catchers essentially.
Elite, or right on that border.
If I’m building a team for the next 5 years, I take Will Smith above nearly every player on this list
Nice.
Knew filtering through recent previous ‘top100’ seasons would miss a gem or two.
I might put Smith at 3 right now.
Next 5 years, I’d probably go Smith, Murphy or Contreras, with my gut telling me to just give Rutschman a try.
Will Smith, catcher 2020:
289/401/579. That would play as an OF. He had a 164 OPS+. And he’s 25 and improving defensively. He won 1 WS, and was being mentored during 18’s run. He’s still making the minimum.
I may be biased and havent done deep research, but I stand by the comment I’d take smith for next 5 years over about any other catcher in baseball
Tough to bet against!
Only 2 months in MLB with regular playing time is the only reason I’d pick Realmuto/Grandal over him for 2021 results.
Bound to be a slump or two to deal with at some point in Smith’s career.
For 2021-2025 results, I lean Smith’s way.
Rutschman could become Wieters still, Murphy hasn’t had much playing time either, Contreras is tricky to bet against, but I personally like Smith more.
Good stuff!
You are clearly missing how good a player James McCann is!
Watch some footage some time, you will be impressed.
One season of 5 WAR play does not an elite player make. You keep listing the same information and you’re essentially saying he is elite based on that equivalent….. that’s the point for many people. Personally, I don’t think it’s that much an overpay based on predictions, but stop listing that he’s elite based on that single season equivalent stat which doesn’t make him an elite player.
I think Marty McRae is a troll there’s no way he’s serious
Let’s hope he keeps progressing.
Ditto
Enjoy the Mets. 4/40 wow. Agent earning their cut. Glad it wasn’t the Angels who gave this out.
You’ll be so sad when we get Bauer too lol
The Mets will not be getting Bauer lol get real homer. This is still a last place roster until something is done about their pitching, maybe the Phillies will be worse that’s it.
“This is still a last place roster until something is done about their pitching.” Isn’t that exactly why they would sign Bauer, (and the 3 bullpen additions they’ve already made?)
I see your comments and each time and I see someone who is just scared you won’t be the bigs dogs in NY anymore
Wedge – that’s the same type of comment the Angels trolls make whenever we sign someone to improve the team. How else do you improve the team unless you sign people to improve the team? Sounds like a scared Yankees fan.
We still need a catcher and I was hoping it was McCann. We can’t afford Real because we need so much pitching.
Even if the Yankees are awful and the Mets are good, they’ll still be the big dogs in NY.
I terms of fans? Sure. That’s about it
You’re an idiot. Your comment makes no sense
GO NATS WE SIGNING JT
Reply to pinstripes17: I’ll take McCann any day. The Mets have not had an every day solid defensive catcher in a while. But good luck with Sanchez and his .987 fielding %. That is assuming you’re a Yankees fan.
Hey Pinstripes relax the Yankees aren’t the big boys in NYC anymore. If Steve Cohen wants Bauer and Springer he can afford to do that. The Yankees appear to have trouble signing their own players.
Hey pinstripes, I think your team is in need if starting pitching, unless you sign somebody to win on day 3,4 and 5 of a series. And at the same time, get a catcher who can catch them. Who you looking for? Yady Molina?
Too bad Sanchez still has much better overall numbers than McCann even with his terrible year included and is two years his junior. I wouldn’t rush to judgment so quickly in the catching situation before you know what you have.
Plus, man, you guys seem to think Cohen is going to blow money like it doesn’t matter? Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly how he became a multi billionaire. I could be wrong, maybe he signs every top FA, but usually people with a lot of money like to keep it, which is why they have a lot of it!
@clipper
Sanchez is better “overall”, but McCann is the better catcher and who I would rather have behind the plate. The only area Sanchez is superior is power.
Sanchez will be benched again or traded. Should have compared McCann to a different catcher. I think I saw Sanchez running to the backstop more than I saw him sitting behind the plate last year. Saw him sitting on the bench throughout the playoffs the most though.
I promise you nobody is scared of the Mets. Not the Yankees, not the Phillies, not the Nats, not the Marlins, and certainly not the Braves. The Mets always have been and always be little brother, no matter how much stupid money they have. You are a blind homer who is gonna be facing a tough reality check very soon in regards to how mediocre this roster really is.
Worry about getting a winning record, getting out of last place and making the playoffs before you call yourselves the “big dogs” there, guy. You are making yourself and the rest of your teams fanbase look really bad when this Mets team tanks and mises the playoffs again. Little brother forever.
Ha. That’s comical. I really hope the Mets do well, and get Springer, because that is where the need is – but, I do not think Yankees fans are concerned.
The Mets were, are & always will be 2nd rate compared to the Yankees. Put that in your juice box & suck it.
I glad the Dodgers fans don’t talk this drivel about the Angels. They are classier than Yankees fans for sure being in a two team market. The tides can turn quickly.
He CAN’T CATCH. if you want your pitchers to look good, LEARN HOW TO CATCH THE BALL !!!!
Sanchez can’t even hit for average anymore. He needs a position change.
WTH do people in LA know about class, that’s a hot one. After you’re done blazing dude, go ahead & pick up a copy of the Times & hit the sushi bar, we’ll take it from here
NY – you proved my point simply by your response. BTW I don’t live in California. I’m a life long Angels fan and have never experienced the arrogant condescending attitude from Dodgers fans that Yankees fans have towards Mets fans.
Listen, you guys better hold into DJ or youse guys wont be going anywhere next year. He has been the heart and soul of your team the last two years, and if someone snatches him away from the Yankees, you have a big hole to fill.
I think his point is that he’s glad the angels aren’t spending that amount of Doritos locos tacos on a catcher who is slightly above average when pitching is their main need.
If the Mets promise Bauer an absurd amount of Doritos locos tacos and he signs with them, there will be no sadness here. The angels are more than one pitcher away from contention.
Exactly. Have to use resources properly. Angels need pitching. Bauer pitched against some weak central teams. If the salary reflects a 60 game season vs his career then it’s a pass. Cole contract is no where close for Bauer. Wheeler contract is what I would compare him to get.
Weak Central Teams?! White Sox are loaded and back in the playoffs. Twins and Cleveland have playoff caliber teams also. KC and Detroit are loading up with great, young players….
AL Central is not weak.
Preach!
Mets going after Springer not bauer
Seriously. I have been trying to figure out why the Angels have been chasing McCann more aggressively than Yadier Molina.
Molina aint leaving the Cards!!
Albert called and said that’s not true.
because Molina us ancient
Because it’s not 2014?
People acting like 10 mil will cripple the Mets if he sucks lol. Best case scenario you get the whitesoxs version (which will probably happen) and you have a good player for 10 mil
Definitely will not cripple the Mets, but 40 seems like an overpay for McCann. But who cares? Mets got their man and have plenty to get more.
No one is acting like that.
Been hearing it for ten days
davidk1979: That’s why it’s called “RUMORS”. Until the physical is DONE & the contract is SIGNED, it’s NOT OFFICIAL. If you don’t want to hear &/or read about updates on possible (PROBABLE) progression on signings &/or trades, you should stay away from this website. What do you really EXPECT from a site called MLB TRADE RUMORS?
except some sources were almost confirming the deal days ago. its appeared to be “close to official” for days now
Why did you post this? Are you complaining this site is doing its intended service? Or are you lauding them for keeping this very-real story updated?
Gotta love how people complain here like it’s MLBTR’s fault what national writers report or when stuff is leaked prematurely
not much risk with this much money!! Realmuto will get 4 or 5 times that amount….we still have lots of space for Bauer and Hendricks
You think JT is gonna get 40-50 a year or 160-200m total?
I don’t know if this is the same poster, but at least one commenter here told me Realmuto would get 8 years, $250 million.
JT will not get as much as you’re saying. That’s ludicrous. More like 2 times that amount.
Von, JT will get more than 80 million, now come on!! i wont be surprised if he gets 120 or 160 million
AAV he will not exceed 20-25 a year IMO. 40-50 AAV is ludicrous.
Realmuto probably gets $20-23m AAV over 5-7 years.
As a Yankee fan of course, the Mets are doing the right thing. JT is way to expensive at $20 million dollars annually. Bravo Mets!
Yank4Life, you are correct!!
Is Wright 1970, Clyde Wright and his best season, 1970? Or the All Star pitcher that was on the mound when Rose killed Fosse.
i am a huge David Wright fan and i am 50 years old!! are we good now?? lol
This is the oldest “rumor” in the history of professional sports.
Are Brian Roberts and Jake Peavy still headed to the Cubs?
Stop complaining that MLB Trade Rumors does its job.
Worthless comment.
I McCan’t wait for this to be a done deal.
About damn time wish it was the Yankees but obviously Cashman not living up to his name. Settling on Sanchez for 6 Million should be known as CheapMan. Not sure what’s going on when the Yankees are counting pennies and no longer willing to go and above and beyond to win a WS. George is rolling in his grave and is very angry
Cashman cheap? Didn’t he give Gerrit Cole 324mil last year.
And trade for some guy named Stanton?
McCann really lucked out with timing. Don’t get me wrong, he’s solid, but I can’t help but think he’s being overpayed because he’s significantly cheaper than JTR. 40 seems like a lot for McCann, who’s certainly trending upwards, but only has 2 solid seasons under his belt. Anyway, another nice addition for the Metsies. More to come I’m sure.
Von, but McCanns best 2 years are his last 2 years and is trending upward….if he fails, the Mets can easily eat that money unlike Realmutos future contract
Absolutely. I like the move, just surprised at how much they gave McCann. While I don’t think he’s worth that, they still have plenty to spare on other top FAs.
@vonpurple
The Yankees set the mark with Sanchez at 6MM. By comparison, McCann should get more. I see $8MM with the extra $2MM due to position scarcity and demand. Overpay? Probably. But a reasonable overpay for stability.
@stymee Agreed. I think it’s a solid deal with the extra year being an overpay, but the Mets can afford it.
I do think the Mets went up in years to pull him away from other teams, and might have been trigger happy to keep him away from Dave Dombrowski. Maybe not. Either way, it isnt a $20M per year commitment for one positiin for someone who may not outperform McCann 2 to 1. It does save more to use for Bauer or Springer.
They could easily flip him for prospects, cash or PTBNL.
If he bombs that contract won’t be easy to flip.
*overpaid
Mets finally acting like a big market team. That contract isn’t going to hurt them even if he isn’t any more than a solid player.
Yup. Great points. Fans have to be happy with Cohen so far.
$10M a year is peanuts, but we gotta stop acting like these players “deserve” money based off entirely arbitrary biases that vary from person to person. McCann is an awesome catcher who hits, he deserves $20M a year but we allowed a phenomena called “allowing billionaire owners to tell us that they are poor, actually” to happen, so he gets lowballed instead.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see an owner pay all his players $20 million a year, just because he could? Isn’t that the ultimate rich guy flex?
A “flex” like that would make a person un-rich quickly.
Absolutely great signing
This has to be the longest and worst offseason to get going in a long time. I get it with all the uncertainty but come on. As for McCann he should do well now that he will be the starter unless mets get realmuto now haha
Just got a notification from mlb.com that this deal is official.
what a ridiculous overpay for a mediocre plyer.
mets have not upgraded over ramos.
If Mets fans don’t want McCann then take Sanchez for him. Who will be better for the Mets now.
At least pitchers like throwing to McCann.
McCann is several years younger and a better defender. He’s not necessarily a massive upgrade, but he does leave them with more room to make other additions to a roster that remains full of holes.
McCann has more value to the Mets than any other team. I would think the upgrade defensively and for the pitching staff is immeasurable.
You’re delusional
Ramos the last two years: earned $19 million, 186 games, 2.5 total WAR
McCann: 149 games, 5 WAR. Will earn $10 million per season.
Seems like they *did* upgrade a little and it didn’t cost them any more than Ramos.
Maybe stop stalking every article about McCann so you can trash him.
It’s so insane that a player with 5.0 WAR over his last 149 games is “trash” to someone. If its a whiny Tigers fan who is bummed their team gave up on him before he got good, then: you need to grow up.
I think it’s sour grapes or something because on every article about McCann, ‘Dan Hunter’ has been in the comments trashing him over multiple comments.
Dan Hunter is probably the alias for JTR’s agent… j/k
They can’t be happy the mets are probably out on JTR now. 1 less big market team in the bidding.
Ridiculous comment. Ramos was a statue
It really feels like Dan Hunter is JT’s agent. No factual basis for anything he says. If JT gets 5/120 or 5/100, more power to him. I just dont want to be at the end if that contract.
It’s done!
So are the Metropolitans.
Well that’s definitely going to hurt Realmuto’s market. The Mets were everyone’s number one landing spot all year long, and now that deal is off the table. So…. Phillies, Angels, somewhere else?
Houston, Washington…a few others. Realmuto is a game changer. He won’t get what he’s asking for, but there will be plenty of teams making competitive offers.
It’s simply because very good baseball people agree McCann is coming into himself.
JT has numbers that only the Mets could have taken serious, they opted for McCann. It appears as if JT might have to wait until June to find a club ready to risk a # 1 draft pick and a 5 year 125M contract
Mets fan here: honestly, what the hell are we doing here? This many years and this much annually for a guy who has been good for less than 1.5 seasons. Were we really bidding against comparable offers?
Keep in mind the Mets second best prospect is Alvarez who’s looking to make the majors in a couple years so the McCann signing makes sense to get them by until then and be the backup for him. If he pans out. Good move smart play.
BadBenjamin, agreed. I think Alvarez is predicted to come up 2-3 years from now and he’s going to back up an experienced vet in McCann and learn from him. There’s a lot of things to like about this deal. We have our catching situation set for a decade IF our 2nd best prospect is as good on and off the field as they are expecting him to be.
You people realize that $10 million a season is not a lot, right? He could be worth 1.5 WAR a season and be worth it. There are middle relievers who make this much and more.
right, 10 avv is simply replacing Ramos
Replacing Ramos, but saving on average 7 rally-killing GIDPs per year over the last 3 seasons, then that’s an improcemebt right there
McCann has always been elite defensively and now his bat has come around he’s been an elite all-round player since opening day 2019. The Mets got him on the cheap, as he will absolutely mash in that lineup and in the NL.
Realmuto will get five years and $75M. Just one fan’s opinion.
I’d give him that in a second.
Give it to me instead, I need it more than him.
If that’s the case the Mets will sign him also and McCann is the backup
If JTR gets 5 years, it will definitely be a 9 figure deal. He’s getting $20M/yr.
I agree. $20-23m AAV over 5-7 years for JTR.
It’s a limited market for sure…
Philly, Nats, Astros?, Angels?(doubtful), Yanks?(doubtful), Mystery Team?
Sounds reasonable but what teams are in his market now the Mets are gone?
sandman, not a chance that Realmuto signs for 5/75!!
What a Mess!
He better be the backup to JTR.
LOL
$120 million on catchers
THAT would be a mess
This does make the Mets an iota better.
Maybe you should make fifty more posts disparaging McCann. My man, give it a rest. This is a reasonable deal for a solid catcher.
The Mets are putting their “big boy pants” back on. I’m no Mets fan but it’s still nice to see them with an owner who might actually be willing to spend money to win.
Good signing if it goes thru now let’s get Springer and Bauer
Sox fan here, am I the only one who feels like 10mAAV is a bit low for McCann? If this is what he’s going for, the sox should’ve def re-signed him. Has more value to us than any other team, plus Grandal’s ability to play 1st makes it even more palatable
He’s good, but he’s not young and hasn’t been a starter for long. I think it’s an overpay, but not by much.
Mets fan here. I feel $10m / year is fair – not too low, not too high. I do feel the team will regret the 4th year though. And MLB.com is reporting the deal may be worth over $40m
I bet the fourth year is a split in time between the rookie Alvarez and McCann, but who knows.
Great points. I agree. I say slight overpay, but it’s not crazy at all. Mets looking good so far.
They have been close to a deal the last 7 days, should of gotten JTR
I wouldn’t be surprised if the final numbers are slightly higher than $10M per year; maybe a $2M buyout on a 5th year option. McCann had multiple suitors and was in a great spot to maximize his value this offseason. $10M seems like a reasonable amount provided that he can continue his recent success both behind and at the plate.
imo, this is the correct assessment. It’s a fair deal. It’s certainly not an overpay, but they didn’t get an amazing deal or anything. If he’s an average catcher and hits around 100 OPS+, it’ll be worth it
Kudos to McCann and Mets from a WSox fan. Hope they limit him to 100-110 starts, so fans don’t get frustrated by offensive dip if they overuse him.
40, million over four seasons just shows you that people were not willing to spend more than that for this guy. I would say the second highest better with probably 32 million maybe 35.
this will be a steal. darn good catcher who should be able to stick for a bit longer due to lighter use behind the plate with CWS.
He’s been a decent catcher the past 2 years and yet his former team still decided to give an even a bigger deal to the 2nd best C in the game in Grandal. The year After he made the all star games.
Soon we’ll know if he’s “darn good” and if this contract is a “steal”
His last 149 MLB games have been elite. It’s a steal whether you like it or not!
If he was Elite, white sox would not have replaced McCann with a superior C in Grandal.
McCann will help the Mets but( like it or not! )McCann is only decent.
JRT is a realistic example of an elite ball player… in all of baseball.
Hey Marty, are you McCann’s mom or something? 149 games as a backup in a hitters paradise is not very indicative of his future. McCann is an average player, not even close to a great one. This is anything but a steal.
pinstripes17
5 WAR in his past 149 games is pretty darn good, not average for a catcher.
I’m in the minority here, but I think this is a terrific signing. Great job Mets!
LFGM!
I agree. The deal was just announced.
How Arte Moreno would it be for the Angels to pay big bucks to sign JTR instead of investing that money into their pitching staff? Arte loves his offensive players! JTR’s market has shrunk quite a bit after this Mets deal and by what Philly has said about lowering payroll this year. His market is most likely down to Washington, Anaheim and Toronto. I really don’t consider Houston a viable option as they have too many other holes to fill this offseason. Are there any other suitors for his services? I guess you could put the Yankees in there too if they don’t re-sign DJL, but JTR and his agent have to be a little concerned about how the market is shaping up.
This offseason , Arte needs to put the money in the rotation for once. Go get Bauer and maybe make a trade for Snell or Gray. Realmuto will end up back to the phillies, they need him there.
Good sign. Maybe, a slight overpay, but not one that can’t easily be absorbed. Definitely fills a big need.
Definitely a massive underpay, Mets got a steal here.
lolmets fans
Mets fans are delusional, this is an extreme overpay.
pinstripes, no, it’s not “an extreen overpay.” Perhaps $1MM or $2MM/year. But McCann is much better than you think. At 5 WAR over his last 149 games as a catcher, he is much better than average. And he was 2nd catcher on the market this year. Other than JTR, who is there that’s comparable?
I wouldn’t say it was a steel
Just glad they ironed it out.
Would rather have signed Realmuto for his leadership attributes. McCann has been on the rise the last two years and would be a upgrade to Ramos defensively. He also may be a better long term option over Realmuto as a catcher. Realmuto will probably have to change positions long term, in order to keep him healthy, similar to what happened with Biggio.
The deal is DONE as per USA Today. 4 years/$40M.
usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2020/12/12/james-mcc…
For the Mets it’s the push to move the wheel. This deal is sensational to the club and management. Springer is next in the neighborhood of 12 to 15 over 4 years and cap it off with a 1 plus option of 60 million (30/30/8 buyout) . Bauer likes 1 year deals
Springer is getting way, way more than $12 to $15 million over 4 years (ie, $48-60 million). Or maybe I’m not understanding you because a one year option of $60 million is equally absurd and you’ve presented a four year deal with a one year option (so, five years) but your ’30/30/8′ is only three years.
With this signing looks more evident that the Blue Jays will sign JT. Additionally since the pirates have been very intrested in the Jays catching, this will also lead to them trading for Joe Musgrove. Not sure if it would be Kirk or Jano going to Pittsburgh.
Excellent deal for McCann. Mets definitely needed an upgrade from Ramos.
Yet McCanns only the 2nd best catcher in this market and IMO he’s not even a top 10 C at his position in this league.
With all the money and expectations the Mets could’ve deeply weakened a divisional rival and really upgraded the position by paying the $150-200mill asking price for a TOP 20 overall player in the game let alone the C position in JTR.
But Mets gonna Mets. JTR should be back with the Phillies.
‘Mets gonna Mets’ for not shelling out $200 million to a catcher who will already be 30 when the season starts and instead signing a solid catcher for 1/5 the money? When you also don’t have any clue as to what the rest of their offseason plans are?
I guess ‘haters gonna hate’.
For arguably a top 20 player, regardless of position, in all of baseball? $150-200 mill is def a price he’s earned..
And like I said Mets needed an upgrade and it seems that they found one whos about middle of the pack in terms of C’s.
Its not hate rct….Mets with JTR brings them closer to a world series than McCann. Especially if said team has the resources to get it done.
It *is* hate. You realize they have other holes and shouldn’t just throw that kind of money around when a decent replacement costs far less, right?
You apparently want the Mets to spend $25 million a year for the next 8 years for JTR without giving a thought as to how that would affect their pursuit of starting pitching (which is a far more pressing need than catcher).
Giving $150-200 million to a 30 year old catcher is absurd. To show you how absurd it is, just wait a few weeks and see what JTR actually signs for.
JTR is already a health risk. Hes gonna disappoint somebody BIG TIME !!
Aside from yours, In what world is a JTR whos never started less than 125 games “already a health risk”?
JT is a health risk now? He is as durable as any catcher in baseball these last few years.
Hope it works out for the Mets. The lack of quality catching options behind Realmuto definitely drove up the asking price for McCann especially after the Angels starting to make their bid. As long as he can catch 120 games and prevent t opposing teams running game, I think it will be a win for NYM.
Not a great signing Castro>McCann
Whoever thinks that McCann isnt an upgrade over Ramos obviously didnt watch any Mets games last year. Ramos was beyond a liability behind the plate in 2019 (he’s always been pretty lousy) and his offense, which used to be pretty good for a catcher, took a total nosedive. MCCann can sleepwalk all next season and still be a huge upgrade. When your owner is by far he richest owner in baseball you can afford a 4/40 contract on a slightly above average catcher. Realumto’s contract will be an albatross after 2023.
James McCann is an elite level top 5 catcher in 2021. He deserved $20M a year for 5 years. He didn’t get that because billionaire owners ruined the FA market by crying poor somehow.
Disagree JTR will ever be an albatross.
Its hard to call McCann “elite” after only 1. 1/2 good season. I’ll be more than happy with 3 years of “pretty good” (we already know the 4th year wont be good). The 19 yo stud Alvarez should be ready by then.
Rosenthal just posted he’s going to sign with the ChiSox.
Hahahahahahaha
Can’t help but think of a conversation had here not long ago, where a White Sox fan was insisting the worst decision Chicago made was not giving a QO. He assured us that was merely a fraction of what McCann would make on the market
Now, a month or so later, James gets nearly twice as much, but at 4x the length
Something around this seems much more realistic. Maybe a tad long, but smart move by the Mets
McCann would have accepted a QO. Even as overpaid as the Mets made him, making nearly half that money in one quarter of the years would have made sense for him.
For sure he would have. Would have been a fool if he didn’t
And the White Sox would have then been paying more for their Catcher platoon than any other team pays to fill any other position on the field.
That’s the other reason it was such a foolish idea
Mets will love his leadership at catcher but hate his offensive skills. He had a nice 2020 as a backup catcher (just 30 games played) and 2019 had a great first half before having a very poor second half. Previous seasons was a 8th place tupe hitter. So not counting 2020 since only 30 games he’s only had half a season of good offense. Don’t understand how that’s worth 4 years
Imagine how much the Mets would have paid if McCann had TWO good seasons!
I was a proponent of signing Realmuto. But, I like this deal. Very reasonable AAV, which gives the contract tons of upside for the Mets. Also, it’s easier to move on if he regresses/breaks down, or Francisco Alvarez is ready before expected.
Also, the extra $80 million or so (although I very much doubt Realmuto gets $125M now) the Mets save will likely be spent on other upgrades.
LFGM
If the C market is this hot, the SFG should be shopping Joey Bart. They drafted Bailey last year and have Posey until Bailey is ready.
Rrrrat Farrrt!!!
A horrible move offensively.
The Mets have to get Springer now.
I like this move and it was the right one Mets fans. Realmuto would have cost so much more and the number of years would have been regrettable in the long run. Plus, go and get Springer and Bauer now. There seems to be positive interest with both of these players and we clearly need both of them.
We really need the DH though for all of this to work and to be competitive. Dom Smith’s bat needs to be in the line up daily as well as the Polar Bear. They need to find a better back up than Nido still at catcher and get a good lefty (Blevin’s is not the answer folks).
Keep up the good work Sandy and Let’s Go Mets!
Mets actually making smart moves. Not often there is a win win free agency signing, but at first glance those has to be one.
Ridiculous contract for a guy with one great season to his name.
Ya, and he just might regress, but his peripherals think his last two seasons (which really only equal one season) are legitimate. His ExVilo, hard hit% and barrell% all points to a player that was hitting the ball hard. Also, it may be that his framing has improved.
metsmerizedonline.com/2020/12/analyzing-james-mcca…
In this article, the writer does us a solid and gets us through The Athletics pay wall to explain why he has improved.
This is kind of funny for me as I had McCann pegged for NYM before Cano’s suspension, then figured they were more likely to splurge on Realmuto after the suspension with the money saved. Regardless, they addressed their most glaring need.
Now, what to do about CF….
The Mets just drastically reset the market for backup catchers who are masquerading as starting catchers by giving James McCann starting catcher money. It must be nice to be Tyler Flowers right now.
Considering the disaster that Wilson Ramos was last year, Im very happy with McCann. Im in the minority of Mets fans who didnt want Realmuto. He’s certainly a great player but I wouldnt want to invest what it will take to sign him considering his position and age. Im good with McCann being a bridge to Alverez.
Cohen is rich but I dont think he wants to be paying the luxury tax….which means that even he has to show some restraint when signing FA’s.
Exactly, great point. Cohen isn’t going to throw out multiple 9 figure deals. He made it clear that he’s going to spend money wisely on talent.
How you going to feel when we take springer from you??? Lol
The Blue Jays are already a better team than the Mets, it’s gonna be so funny seeing you cry when they steal Springer from the Mets.
Same old Mets.
As constituted, 4th place.
This is a fair deal for both sides. Even if McCann averages 1 WAR annually over the four years, it’s worth the stability and a constant for pitchers he brings to a team that plans on competing.
As a White Sox fan, I hate to see him leave. I loved the effort on the field and the work off the field with players like Giolito. Mets fans should be happy with this signing. He isn’t going to be flashy and put up elite numbers all the time, but he will be a really good player for your team.
40 million over 4 years is a great deal. Realmuto would’ve been easy 100-120mil. Don’t make a splash just to make a splash, make the right splash. The market is slow to evolve as we all know because owners are crying their broke. If it was a normal market, I believe McCann could’ve inked a deal for 50-60.
It is clear the Mets will be the winners of the off season, but rarely does that get you to the world series. Can anyone name the last team to win the off season and win the world series the next season, I can’t think of one?
That’s hardly clear yet. The Mets still need help in their rotation and more right-handed balance in their batting order. If they add a TOR, another SP and an elite righty bat that could very well happen.
The Mets signing James McCann was a solid step in the right direction. The financial savings over signing J.T. Realmuto could allow them to add at least one of the elite free agents who could address those remaining needs. They will still have plenty of competition. Their chief competitor for McCann was the Angels who figure to go all out for free agent TOR Trevor Bauer after losing out on local southern California ace Gerrit Cole last offseason. The Mets could also face severe competition with CF George Springer from the Red Sox, Blue Jays and his original team in Houston.
Many blockbuster trades also figure to be struck this offseason with the Mets potentially involved with some of the bigger names including TOR’s like Blake Snell and Sonny Gray along with elite right-handed bats like 3B’s Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant.
Considering that there is no acceptable metric for winning the off-season (what the heck does that even mean?), it’s not really pertinent. You could easily argue that the World Champion “won” the previous off season because they put themselves in position to win the season. But whatever.
Dodgers won last offseason by landing Mookie.
The Mookie Conster? He put them over the top but it was a fake season. A Whirled Championship, spun to look like the reel thing, a catch and release season, no nutritional value, and VERY fishy.
Spin it any way you want but I personally would’ve been beyond ecstatic if Philly had won as I’m sure you would’ve been for your team.
Fake season causing the champion to win the most playoff games ever to claim a title. La also defeated the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the NL before facing the best team in the AL. Few champions actually face the best record possible in multiple rounds, let’s be honest
Keep hating. It makes you look pathetic
Boston is Red Sox 2013 maybe?
After taxes and stuff, it is more like 4 yrs at 25m, no? McCann was a platoon catcher. Did Cohen overpay? yes but it is free agency.
Forget Bauer. Get Springer
Forget Springer (Jays).
Get Bauer.
Agreed. Mets don’t need Springer. Bauer for sure.
Bauer has only had one great 60 game season.
Springer has had many.
No. Mets aren’t close to the luxury tax amount.
I think Marty McRae may be McCann’s agent.
I don’t like the four years, but 40 million isn’t terrible. Hopefully he is good for two years, and average for the third. He can fall off a cliff in year four, and it will be a good deal.
$10M per for an average starting position player is beginning to sound like the norm. Considering the Mets have other needs with their own player contracts on the horizon, it’s not a terrible move. As long as he can continue the trend upward defensively behind the plate (framing in particular), I’d say it’s a decent deal for both sides.
A grade. Worth 15 million a year. No problem with 4 years, but even if he declines last year or two, it’s 10 million, not 15 that he is worth. Lesser catchers in their mid 30s get 5 to 7 million. He is a good defensively, improved pitch framing and has hit good for 2 seasons now. Not a lot of wear on him.
JT has no appeal to me unless it’s for the hundred million area 5/20 7/15 unless he would do 1/25 2/50 3/70 or something that wouldn’t make sense for him. I wouldn’t want him for 150 let alone 200. I ? him getting that much, but only takes 1 owner.
This move makes me think that the Mets will spend money when it makes sense. They could have easily paid JT a big sum but didn’t. They realized the huge value in McCann. Next few months will show how this new owner works. I don’t like giving 30 year olds lots of money, so Springer is out unless the market is just bad and can get him for under 100 million. Don’t want to pay Bauer off his 1 amazing 2 months vs weak central lineups. Under 150 for long term. No way to over 200.
Unless bargains present themselves, I would rather look at trade options or cheap upside lotto tickets such as kluber Archer etc. Maybe a proven mid rotation guy if the price is right, like the Yankees cast offs.
A great thing about this signing is that Alvarez figures to be the Mets’ starting C before the contract is up. Even if that relegates McCann to a backup role by year three or four, the combined salary for the two would be a bargain. McCann will be the perfect mentor for a young catcher.
I agree regarding Bauer. The 11 starts in his career year came against Milwaukee (3), Detroit (2), Pittsburgh (2), the Cubs (2), the White Sox, and Kansas City.
I have not paid too much attention to the Mets’ batting lineup in the last year or so, but I believe it has not been as dangerous as the White Sox’s batting order. In the last two seasons McCann benefitted batting in that lineup with Abreu, Jiminez, Moncada and Anderson with the addition of Robert and Grandal batting DH while he was the catcher. McCann did show signs of decline after a great offensive start in 2019, however, McCann should flourish if the Mets’ batting order is strong as the White Sox’s lineup.
Mets lineup is just as good. I wouldn’t worry
McCann brings stability behind the plate. Ramos was horrible back there. A passed ball waiting to happen and the pitchers didn’t trust him (and didn’t try to hide their distrust). This is a significant upgrade for the Mets. Get a CF and they go from being miserable up the middle to actually being quite solid. Not a contender and not in Atlanta’s class, but a lot more competitive.
Disagree on not a contender-
With the expanded playoffs all they need is another playoff caliber starter and they are contenders for the whole enchilada, it doesnt even have to be Bauer (who id shy away from)
Plenty of Sp options avail via trade and they got some interesting MLB ready pieces that could go out in Alonso Dom Jd Nimmo Lugo if they had too –
Tb – Loves ready made talent (Snell)
Cle- Same (cookie)
Both looking to shed money 2021 (along with 20 other teams)
Use money as leverage, not kindle to start large fires (contracts) in 2021
Mets were 3rd in OPS last year, sox were 8th. Sox were 5th in runs mets were 13th.
Mets have a pretty good lineup but they were about bottom 5 in baseball in BA w/RISP
yeah Mets were on of the best offensive teams in baseball in every metric except hitting with runners on, for some reason
Going to miss him on the South Side, but glad his work has paid off and wish him the best!
I still wouldnt be against a 2/18 for Yadi as long as he’s on board not being a full time player those 2 yrs from jump street- (Debatable he would be)
Mets gotta clear one of JD Dom or Alonso ( Dh or not) ….. its just not ideal and its not the worst time to flip one on value for a position more of need (SP) – They line up perfect with Cle for Cookie….I know Mets fans love Dom but you gotta give to get…… close to a 1 for 1 can be done tommorrow
Im not a METS insider but it seems they have lacked a little heart and soul with championship pedigree the past couple years – Guys like Yadi and Kiki Hernandez would go far in filling that void
If he can nab more than one guy trying to steal second from behind the plate I’ll be happy.
Solid pickup for the Mets. Maybe not the Realmuto signing Met fans were hoping for but a premium defender who’s not terrible at the plate for far less money than JTR would cost
McCann is a solid ball player and was a godsend for the Sox over the last 2 years. I hope he does well on the Mets.
If I was a betting man, I would put my money on McCann being over exposed in a full-time role.
In 2019, he put up a 133 wRC+ in the first half and then came back down to earth in the 2nd half with a 83 wRC+. In 2020 he was back to being a good hitter but again in only 30 games.
The main reason I am skeptical is because his approach, discipline and swing were the same in Detroit as they were in Chicago. He seemingly made no adjustment that resulted in being a bad hitter to a good hitter.
With that being said, the offensive bar for catchers is low and he has gotten better at framing in Chicago. All he has to do is be a 90 wRC+ guy and play good D and he’s worth the contract.
Overexposed and overpaid. When a “fan” buys the team and overpays it causes a domino effect on rest of free agents.
Think about it like this, yadier Molina is seeking 2 years around 8 million per year and he’s 38 years old, McCann signing sounds about right
McCann’s “rough 2018” which drove the Tigers to nontender him was the result of an unsightly weighr gain, at least 25 lbs. In 2019-20, in Chicago, he was in shape and played better.
Mets should have sought a weight clause in this generous contract…..ckear evidence catchers are scarce.
He looks like he’s built pretty well to me. I dont see any fat. Are you talking about muscle gain (too much of which isnt great either)?
As a Sox fan, I remember seeing him as a Tiger catcher wondering what he might do if he played full time. He got his lucky break as back up catcher for Sox and then a starter. Enjoyed watching him the last two years, getting better and better with the glove and bat. Always a class guy…..wish him the very best. What a feel good story for a great guy. Sox will miss you.
Check another need off for the Mets. We still need another, nearly full time catcher for the 1/3 of games McCann doesn’t play.
Honestly, McCann really only just replaces Ramos’ numbers, offensively. Yes, he’s an upgrade defensively.
Do the Mets resign Ramos as the backup catcher now? That would actually be a real solid move. I don’t believe Ramos has signed elsewhere yet.
Maybe Casali?
2 years and $20m too much
I (kinda) agree
I didnt see anyone else going 4 here…shoulda held the line at 3 yrs or a 2/25
Its great to have money to spend, but boy it goes quickly- The Phillies had a 30 mill payroll at the end of 2017 when they made their first big move in many extending Osdrubal Herrera ………
Be diligent Cohen
I’m a lifelong Tiger fan and always liked James McCann, but the Mets are my NL team and I’m sorry to break this to you Mets fans but you will be disappointed in JM over the long haul. He is a solid backup catcher, but he’s not a 500+ AB, every day catcher. Watch. Compare. Travis d’Arnaud is the guy you shoulda held onto. He’s a backup too, produces > than average as a backup. I want JM and the Mets to do well, but I think you way overpaid and will be looking for a better option before you care to admit it.
Travis is a baaaad catcher, meaning he is not any good. McCann is Joe Girardi with a little more power – i believe.
It def feels a little too hedgy…sometimes these things give you adequate results to justify the contract in the end but far too often these are the (semi) gambles that go sideways-
Ida preferred JTR or a 2/18 on Yadi
“Hedgy” is a good word for this move. Also “backagainstthewall” too. They had to make this signing if JTR wasn’t happening. I dont know if yadi has any more gas in the tank.
Overpay
I’d rate it as pricey for a career back-up catcher (BUC) who is already heading into his age-31 season, which is an age when many catchers already start to trend downward. That concern aside, certainly Steve Cohen can afford to take a few risks with his own financial backing.
On the positive side, while he will be 31, he doesn’t have quite the wear-and-tear of other catchers at that age since he wasn’t good enough to be catching more regularly. As comparison, while Realmuto is a year younger, he’s already caught almost 1,000 innings more than McCann, Even last season, he only started 27 games as the White Sox had signed Grandal to be their primary catcher. By games and innings caught, Grandal was their primary catcher, but not dramatically, catching about 10% than McCann. It’s fair to say they were co-catchers.
On the downside, he is now being asked to be the primary catcher again, and the last time this was attempted in Detroit he put up a 76 OPS+ over four seasons and eventually was asked to pack his bags. The change of scenery to Chicago helped as he put up a solid 2019, MLB’s last full season, but his hitting basically returned to Detroit levels after his torrid start and the grind of the full season wore on. He authored a .243/.306/.434 slash line the last four months of 2019. Ok for a BUC, but nothing really great. He was definitely helped in 2020 by the very short season and having Grandal as his co-catcher. Wear and tear was not an issue and a well-timed hot streak can produce some nice surface stats that would have evened out if we had a 162 season. He may be asked to catch 100 more games in 2021, compared to 2020.
I do think McCann has improved somewhat as a hitter and defensively since Detroit days, but I suspect we’ll see numbers similar to what he put up the last four months of 2019 when asked to carry the primary catching. I see maybe a 90 OPS+, which is below league average as a hitter but a couple ticks above the 88 OPS+ league average for catchers. His defense has spiked up and down previously, so I won’t read too much into improved framing over a short data sample. I don’t think he’ll be bad, but I doubt he’ll be better than league average defensively, and likely a little worse once again when asked to carry the full load.
Not an exciting signing, and as I stated, pricey for his skillset, but if the Mets goal was to improve at catcher without going way overboard so they can then direct the additional money it would have taken to land Realmuto so they can sign George Springer or Trevor Bauer, then collectively it’s a good move. On it’s own? I’d grade it a C. Appropriate, I guess, for a catcher!
I do think teams need to really be looking at having true co-catchers. Don’t view the second catcher as a BUC. The responsibilities there now are higher than ever. It’s both mentally and physically draining. The White Sox had a great situation that they should have tried to keep in place, but money is always the factor. They used to say the same about bullpens, meaning now wanting to pay for several top relievers. Eventually teams figured out that was an advantage. They should try similar with catchers. The Mets should go and find a solid catcher, if possible, to pair with McCann.
It’s difficult enough to get fans to read a six paragraph comment. It’s much easier to accomplish with a leadoff sentence that is factual.
James McCann has been the primary starting catcher ever since 2015 which was his first full year in MLB. He was the #1 catcher in Detroit for 4 years and continued that trend with the White Sox in 2019. Last year was his first as a backup and even then he started 27 games with Yasmani Grandal getting the opening nod in 32 others.
I’ve been known to write a few ‘novel’ comments myself but I always try to lead them off with facts or at least a clear statement to bolster an opinion.
I also wish fans would stop cherry picking stats to fit an argument. You are not the first one to inaccurately describe James McCann’s poor ‘second half’ in 2019. Fact is, McCann had a brutal July when he had no help with Welington Castillo on the IL and rookies Zack Collins and Seby Zavala offering zero production in their MLB debuts.
McCann had an unsustainable first two months in 2019 and then produced similarly respectable numbers in June, August and September once Castillo returned and with Collins finally contributing in his second promotion from AAA Charlotte. baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=mccan…
@ Aaron No kidding. The guy has no appreciation for the solid catcher they just signed. Coming into a decline? That’s not what his past 2 seasons say at all for anyone paying attention.
I only wish the Sox had an owner like Cohen, who had some balls and was willing to take a risk once in a while. Instead it looks like the Sox will be looking for a starting pitcher and right fielder every offseason rather than sign someone reliable to address that need for a multi year window, like teams who are serious about winning and willing to spend would do. Their payroll is probably never going to approach what it was in 2015 and 2016 when they had awful teams. So disappointing that it appears there is little chance Reinsdorf will make good on his “the money will be spent” public relations narrative. Someone like Springer is not available every year, next off seasons crop of free agent outfielders is complete crap.
Past results are tricky with catchers.
Not a lot of value after age 31 season for many. Perhaps if he acquires the nickname of ‘Pudge’ will increase his chances.
The value of a veteran catcher for a lot of teams is understated.
Russell Martin’s value on the field slowed down, but he seemed like a great teammate/mentor to the next batch of attempted catchers in the Jays system.
McCann will end up the 4th highest paid catcher for 2021, unless someone really splurges on Yadi. He probably ends up 3rd-8th range for catchers performance wise? Seems pretty fair to me!
I believe he’s solid but pricey for what he likely will deliver. The comment about decline is based on a general statistical look at catchers in there early to mid-30s.
Funny, I originally scrolled by the comment as it was a bit long, although I totally appreciate fans who put some thought into their posts. After the follow up, I went back and read what he wrote, and it seems pretty clear. He wasn’t trolling. He thinks McCann will improve the Mets, but that he’s a little pricey but the Mets can afford it. Seems fair, even if you disagree with it. Probably one of the more thoughtful comments in a thread which seems to have a lot of bickering!
Mets need three seasons out of McCann before Alvariez should be knocking on the door. Signing a catcher for a long-term, big dollar deal is foolish. Look what happened with the superstar contract signings for Joe Mauer and Buster Posey. Despite what Verducci says, most catchers don’t age well. Sure, Molina is okay, and Fisk lastest forever, but there are more Munsons (who was fading before his plane crash), Posey, Mauer, Cervelli’s than those who don’t.
Hope the Angels get Realmuto . Now get Springer and Bauer.
I would think the Phillies and the Angels will be the two likely destinations, although there’s probably a third dark horse team in the mix. The Nats would be a logical destination, and we know the Nats and Boras have been known to do a deal or ten, so I’d keep an eye on them. One thing to keep an eye on: An ascendant Mets team will force other teams in their division to up their games. We may not see it immediately, but it will begin to play out as it did in the AL East. The Yankees-Red Sox dynamic forces all teams to elevate.
Not a bad deal but I don’t believe this hugely upgrades the Mets. Ramos had similar numbers.
Ramos’ defense was horrific… this is a HUGE upgrade.
I am a White Sox guy and I love me some James McCann. However, he is a back-up guys. He is a 40-60 game guy. His “All-Star” season featured a good first half of the season, coupled with a rebuilding Sox team, he got in the game. 2nd half of the season was the “real” McCann. He dropped off considerably. Last year, was a 60-game sample and he only played in 30 of those games. He is a 40-60 game guy. When used more than that you will get a .230 hitter with above average defense over the course of the year. $10 million is a big overpay. There is a reason why the cost-conscious White Sox gave Yasmani Grandal, what at the time was the richest contract in team history, AFTER McCann had his All-Star season. We would love to keep him in Chicago ….. as a 40-60 game guy. Should have paid Realmuto the money. Mets will have to pay for another bat now anyway.
Few White Sox fans would agree with this take. James McCann was the best catcher I have seen on the White Sox since the early 1960’s aside from Carlton Fisk. His 5.0 bWAR over the 149 games he played covering 2019 and 2020 on the southside exceeded every other catcher in that time frame including Fisk’s best season of 4.9 in 1990. McCann was also a true leader who not only earned an All-Star appearance in 2019 but also was named a finalist for the 2020 Gold Glove award along with co-catcher Yasmani Grandal. The work he put in to help transition Lucas Giolito from another top pitching prospect to a true ace was extraordinary.
If he is the best catcher they have had since Pudge, then they haven’t had many quality catchers. We’ll see in a few years, but McCann as “the” man is an overstep.
A White Sox fan would feel that way since you only saw him at his best. Scrolling through the comments, I saw Detroit fans who thought differently. Fair or not, McCann is going into New York with high expectations. The fans will expect the McCann from the White Sox, not the Tigers. I believe he’ll be somewhere between. That’s not a bad thing. The bar to clear at catcher isn’t all that high.
Honest question as it appears you’re a White Sox fan. Knowing what you do now, would you have preferred the White Sox not sign Grandal and go with McCann as a lower-cost option for this potential championship run?
@RobM Absolutely (I’m not the person you replied to but am a Sox fan also). McCann may not be better than Grandal, but since contract value plays a part in what teams can do, I would much rather have McCann at a 10M annual salary than Grandal at 18M per. Even if Grandal is better, which is not a given, it isn’t by such a wide margin that it’s worth paying him almost twice as much. McCann is much more valuable in terms of production per dollar than Grandal, with their difference in salary.
I don’t see why 10M seems expensive for a guy like McCann. I figured he would get closer to 12-13 per season, but maybe lower numbers are just the way 2020 salaries will be. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, he was very solid way more often than not the past 2 seasons. He is a good signing for you guys almost certainly.
Four years. $40 million. Still a tad high imo, but more reasonable than the ridiculous 4/$70 million some of the goofballs on here thought he deserved.
Let’s face it, the catching market is way down. It is the weakest position in the majors. I don;t see any Hall of Famers on any team unless you want to talk Molina and Posey.
Probably true.
Posada was off the ballot right away, so my thoughts probably don’t match what the writers think. I feel like the ones with the rings will make it in, even if they have to wait for their era voting committee rather than have the writers vote them in. I also feel there is a strong chance I’ll be wrong altogether.
One guy has a WS MVP and turns 31 this year, could land somewheres late in career where he could add another WS and have a slight case for HOF.
Salvador Perez!
I personally feel like the Royals hopes hinge on his early health. Could be a surprise season for them? Or at least he could be their prime trade chip if the team starts slow. Long as he’s healthy, he’ll be in the playoffs this year.
Realmuto and Grandal have been putting up numbers for a few years but lack the playoff resume for HOF? Still could make a case in the right late career settings.
Contreras and Smith have won a WS, but no series MVP. Some regular season contributions to work with. Adding any more WS for either of these guys would help their case.
Maybe Cervelli has a HOF caliber managerial career? Random example, just wondering, to myself probably. hahahah.
Imagine suggesting in 2004 or 2010 that you really thought that Kevin Cash guy looked like he had some HOF potential. bahahah.
As for obvious cases, Molina, Posey would be in regardless how the rest of their careers turn out. Beyond that is long shot city.
As I wrote in the Jauss thread, this is a serviceable signing but also a smart one. He should be solid, and that’s an upgrade for the Mets. He may not be as good as some fans were hoping, and he won’t be Realmuto, but that’s not how he should be judged.
JT Realmuto and his agent have got to be disappointed.
And I’m sure there is a part of JT that’s regretting that he didn’t sign that extension with the Marlins. He may not get that contract offer in this market. And the Marlins made the playoffs before he did.
I think Realmuto will return to Philadelphia as well. Molina will either go back to St. Louis, or platoon in the Bronx with Sanchez. Perhaps he can teach him a few things or two about framing and blocking the ball.
I just hope McCann will be their backup catcher since he has only had backup experience.
I wouldn’t rule out the Mets bringing Ramos back as the back up.
No way. Mets are done with Ramos. His D is unplayable.
Glad to see McCann finally get his payday. He was fun to watch with the White Sox and certainly earned his pay there. Seems like a very nice guy and someone who wants to be the best he can be. Happy for him.
Crazy thought, Would the mets or yadi consider a 2/20 or maybe a little less? This would give the mets one heck of a catching tandem until Alvarez is ready. McCann would be the higher of the platoon and Molina would get regular rest and extend career while still being a productive player. Even with signing both of these catchers it still less than Realmuto overall but now you have depth and catcher position (short of injuries) with a productive catcher both offensively and defensively. This will also give you a late inning bat off the bench too. Also your catching prospect will learn from one of the best catchers in molina.
Again thinking outside the box, but if you are going to drop a few million for a backup catcher or minor league depth why not make catcher a strength. This shouldnt impede a Springer signing or Bauer signing i would think.
As a Sox fan, I love McCann. Would love to have kept him as a backup catcher/DH but no way was that ever going to happen.
McCann was in a sweet position in Chicago and whether he could have stayed for less money and less playing time, I don’t know.
I really hope the deal with the Mets works out for him, but I have this gnawing feeling that sometimes guys just don’t know when to leave well enough alone. If the Sox made no play for him, then he should have no regrets for heading to NY.
Do the Sox go with Collins as their #2 or somebody with more experience? You’d think with all their young pitchers, a vet catcher is the way to go, but the mind of JR is a mysterious thing.
Let’s keep this simple. This is a crummy contract for the Mets. His offensive numbers are bad.
Let’s keep simple, your comment is inaccurate.
Regardless of what anybody thinks of this signing, thank you, NY Mets, for actually signing someone! Good Lord, this market is so bad it makes talking about the Cleveland Citizens an exciting topic…. well, maybe I went too far there but you get the idea.
A self aware yankee fan… what is this world coming to?
Man, McCann is awesome and I will miss him. Despite what anyone says, his numbers are real. The dude is great with everyone, can hit and has improved drastically behind the plate. I wish him well and am happy to see that he is not set for life, financially. I wish him and the Mets nothing but the best.
Weak Central Teams?! White Sox are loaded and back in the playoffs. Twins and Cleveland have playoff caliber teams also. KC and Detroit are loading up with great, young players….
AL Central is not weak.
McCann for 10M X 4 years = 40M is the market rate for an above average catcher with a cannon arm, good defense, hitting abilities etc…If McCann performs as expected, then he will be up for even more $$$$ after 4 years….
With the Tigers,he started strong and had some good years. He did a great job with his pitching staff on some bad teams. Saw flashes of his offensive potential in Detroit but he was hampered by a weaker lineup. Put McCann on a good hitting team like the Mets and he will continue his offensive trajectory upward.